The Boy and the Beast: A Merthur Beauty and the Beast AU

Tale as Old as Time

He rushed to the scene, keeping an eye on Morgana's hand. Her finger moved to the trigger. He knew he would have to prevent her from firing it at Arthur no matter the cost.

Merlin ran even faster, terrified he wouldn't get there quick enough.

Morgana was about to pull the trigger.

Merlin jumped in front of Arthur.

The gun went off. 

Merlin felt a sudden, excruciating pain on the right side of his torso. 

His original plan was to push Morgana but she was so close to pulling the trigger she would have fired it anyway, still risking the chance of hitting Arthur. There was only one way to make sure Arthur would be safe.

Merlin collapsed expecting to hit the solid stone of the castle but instead feeling as if a cloud had engulfed his entire body. He looked up to see what he had landed on. 

Or rather who.

He thought he heard a deep voice murmuring something, to him perhaps? But he couldn't understand what was being said. He felt as though cotton was stuffed in his ears.  

The entire world seemed to begin to slow down and the pain in his torso spread to his thighs, his chest, his ankles, his head. The wound on his torso felt warm. 

A moment later the comforting softness he was rested upon began to pull away from him, slowly, carefully. His head was gently laid down on a hard surface and he began to freeze, the warmth that came with the softness now gone. 

His breath came in uneven bursts. 

His heart calmed. 

He heard a rumbling from somewhere in the distance.

As long as Arthur was alright, it would be worth it. 

He allowed the distant sound to pull him into a peaceful darkness. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Arthur was bruised, bleeding and broken all over. Morgana was vicious and dangerous. He was prepared to let her do what she would with him. Even if that meant kill him. 

Then Merlin showed up.

When Arthur locked eyes with Merlin, he was filled with strength he never knew he had. He was so confident he would be able to defeat Morgana and keep Merlin safe from her undying wrath.

He never would have thought she could defeat him so easily. 

She knew just where to hit him so that it would hurt, in more ways than one. She had shot him. He was...he didn't want to say weakening. 

But that's what he was. 

He tried to fight anyway, but he felt heavy and tired and in pain. 

She raised the gun and aimed it right at his chest. 

He tried to get up. For Merlin. For himself. 

Because when Merlin was there, he felt better than he considered himself to be.

And Merlin was running towards them. He could hear him. 

He tried to move over to Morgana, to push her down so she couldn't use the gun. 

But then Merlin was in front of him and Morgana pulled the trigger. 

His arms were immediately outstretched to catch Merlin. Merlin's face was contorted into one of pain and shock and he only briefly looked Arthur in the eyes. Then his gaze drifted away, seeing but not.